Apparatus for protecting underwater equipment

ABSTRACT

A hood of fiberglass adapted to be lowered over underwater equipment.

Umted States Patent 1191 1111 3,910,056

Dopyera 5] Oct. 7, 1975 APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING 3,011,597 12/1961 Galloway et a]. 52/157 UNDERWATER EQUIPMENT 3,117,423 1/1964 Fagenlund 61/46 I 3,247,672 4/1966 Johnson 6l/69 R Inventor: Emll py 2200 Post Oak, 3,429,128 2/1969 Stafford et a1... 61/46 Houston, Tex. 77027 3,754,403 8/1973 Mott et a1. 61/46.5

[22] Filed: July 2, 1973 [21] Appi. No.: 375,469 Primary Examiner-Peter M.. Caun Related Us. Application Data giirennegh/tigent, 0r FlrmW. F. Hyer; Marvm B. [63] Continuation-impart of Ser, No. 194,832, Nov. 2,

1971, abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 61/46; 61/69; 61/72.3 51 1111. cm E02D 29/12 [571 ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 61/.5, 1, 46, 46.5, 69,

61/723; 52/80, 169; 166/5; 175/219 A hood of fiberglass adapted to be lowered over underwater equipment. [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATE S 12 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures 2,864,633

12/1958 Mackie 52/157 US. Patent Oct.7,1975 I Sheet10f5 3,910,056

U.S. Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 2 of5 US. Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 3 of5 3,910,056

' Sheet 4 of 5 US. Patent 001:. 7,19%

US. Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 5 of5 3,910,056

APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING UNDERWATER EQUIPMENT This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Ser. No. l94,832, filed Nov. 2, 1971 now abandoned, and entitled Apparatus for Protecting Underwater Equipment.

This invention relates generally to apparatus for protecting equipment, such as pipeline valves and'wellheads, located at the surface beneath the water. More particularly, it relates to improvements in apparatus for protecting such equipment against damage by anchors, anchor cables, trawler nets, draglines and the like, which are frequently moved laterally along such sur faces.

Heretofore, attempts have been made to protect such equipment by means 'of metal frameworks over and around it. However, the anchors and other parts which might otherwise damage the equipment are caused to be hung up or otherwise'fouled on the framework, or possibly to damage or remove the framework'from its position above the equipment.

In Johnson Pat. No. 3,247,672, it has also been proposed to protect wellhead equipment by encasing it within a structure comprising a floor and a dome made of reinforced concrete. Such a structure is an improvement over metal frameworks, as above described, in that anchors and other parts which would be fouled by or damage the framework would merely slide over or around the dome.

However, the structure shown in the Johnson patent cannot be lowered over an existing wellhead, or other existing underwater equipment for that matter. Instead, it is especially constructed to permit a well to be drilled and completed through it, after which it serves to protect the wellhead.

An object of this invention is to provide apparatus for protecting underwater equipment which has the advantages of the structure of the Johnson patent, but is not so limited in use in that it can be installedover existing equipment.

Another object is to provide such apparatus which is much lighter,.and thus easier to handle, as well as less expensive to manufacture, than the structure of the Johnson patent, but which is nevertheless adapted to be securely anchored to the underwater surface.

A further object is to provide such apparatus which will not foul or be damaged by the anchors or other parts regardless of the depth to whichjts partially buried in the mud surface beneath the water.

Still another object is to provide such apparatus which will permit the detection of gas leaks from the protected underwater equipment.

Yet another object -is to provide such apparatus which, when securely anchored to the underwater surface, has no outwardly protruding surfaces with which nets or other parts might engage.

Yet a further object is to provide such apparatus which consists of parts which are either readily available or easily fabricated.

These and other objects are accomplished, in accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, by apparatus comprising a hood adapted to be lowered over the equipment and having a rim about its lower end adapted, when so lowered, to surround the equipment, and be anchored to the underwater surface. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the hood is made of reinforced fiberglass, which is of light weight, and thus easy to handle during installation or removal of the apparatus, and which may be molded in accordance with known practices which are simple and inexpensive to follow. At the same time, the fiberglass hood is strong enough and securely anchored in such a manner as to resist the lateral forces of the anchors or other parts.

The hood is so anchored by means of elongate anchors guidably received in the rim on its lower end in position to be driven into the underwater level. Preferably, the rim is first jetted into the mud at the underwater level, in accordance with well known practices, so

as to at least partially bury it, not only to assist the anchors in holding the hood down, but also to provide a firmer base into which the anchors may be driven and to insure that the rim is below the anchors or other parts.

The hood has a hole in its upper end so that in the event of a gas leak from the protected equipment, gas bubbles will escape from the hood and rise to the water surface to permit detection. This hole is formed in a hatch which is removably supported within a relatively large access opening in the upper end of the hood.

The side walls of the hood include a lower conical portion extending upwardly from the rim and an upper spherical portion forming a smooth continuation of the lower conical portion and extending over the upper end of the hood. In this way, the side walls present a surface above mudline which forms a small angle with respect to the underwater surface, regardless of the depth to which the rim of the hood is buried. This novel hood construction is to be compared with one wherein the entire side walls are part of a hemispherical surface, such as in the Johnson patent, whereby burying of the rim to a shallow depth would present lower side wall surfaces forming a large angle with the underwater surface, and thus increasing the possibility of fouling of and damage by the anchors and other parts.

In a first embodiment of the invention, the rim extends outwardly from the lower ends of the side walls of the hood, and the elongate anchors are guidably received within slots formed in wedges above the rim. In

- a second embodiment of the invention, however, the

rim instead extends inwardly, and the elongate anchors are received through holes provided in recesses formed in the side walls of the hood. In this way, the hood including the rim may be molded in one piece, and the upper ends of the anchors, when driven into the underwater surface, are within the recesses, and thus do not protrude from the hood.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters are used throughout to designate like parts:

FIG. 1 is a side view, partly in section, of apparatus constructed in accordance with the first embodiment of this invention, and installed over an underwater pipeline valve and related equipment;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the apparatus, partly in section, along line.3-'3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the mounting of an anchor from the lower end. of the hood of the apparatus;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the access opening in which the hatch is adapted to be removably supported; 1

FIG, 6 is a side view, partly in sctioiig Bf apparatus constructed in accordance with iii? safiii embodiment of this invention, and, as in the case of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, installed over an under water pipeline valve and related equipment;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a section of the hood of the apparatus of FIG. 6;

F IG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the side wall of the hood, during mounting of an elongate anchor thereon;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 8, but with the anchor mounted on the side wall; and

FIGS. 10 and 11 are cross-sectional views of the side wall of the hood and the mounted anchor, as seen along broken lines 10-10 and 1111, respectively, of FIG.

With reference now to the details of the abovedescribed drawings, and particularly FIGS. 1 to 5, the first embodiment of the apparatus, which is indicated in its entirety by reference character 10, is shown in -FIG. 1 to be installed over a pipeline 11 and related equipment (broken lines) buried at a relatively shallow .depth between the mud surface 12 beneath the water.

of the type of equipment which may be protected by the apparatus of this invention.

The apparatus 10 includes a hood 15 made of reinforced fiberglass and having a rim about its lower end adapted to be lowered onto the mud surface 12 in surrounding relation to the equipment to be protected, and then jetted to a desired level beneath such surface in a manner which is well known in the art, and which therefore need not be described. As further well known in the art, upon completion of the jetting operation, the mud would normally form back around the lower outer surface of the hood 15, as shown in FIG. 1, and in any case may be caused to so form by back filling.

In the illustrated installation of the apparatus, the rim of the lower end of the hood has been jetted down to a level for resting upon the upper side of the pipeline 11. In order to guide the rim into place, and also to prevent lateral movement of the hood when lowered onto the pipeline, guide plates 16 are secured to the rim and slotted along their lower edges for fitting over the pipeline. Also, as best shown in FIG. 2, the lower end of the hood above the lateral extension of branch line 14 is further slotted at 17 for fitting over the branch line 14, which requires that the guide plate 16 be formed in two parts for securement to the lower portion of the dome on opposite sides of the slot 17.

The hood 15 is molded in two halves which are separated from one another along a vertical plane. Each half has a flange 18 about its vertical edge for securement to the flange of the other half. Obviously, however, it may be found possible to mold the hood in one piece, or, on the other hand, preferred to mold it in three or more pieces. In any case, the side walls of the hood have a lower conical portion 15a and an upper spherical portion 15b. As shown in the drawings, the conical portion extends upwardly at an angle of about 60 to the horizontal from the lower end of the hood to approximately its vertical midpoint, and the spherical portion 15b thereof forms a smooth continuation of the conical portion and extends over the upper end of the hood.

As previously mentioned, this construction of the side walls of the hood makes it possible to bury the lower end of the hood at a wide latitude of depths beneath the mud surface, and still provide an outer surface above the mud surface which forms only a relatively small angle with respect to the horizontal. Thus, regardless of the depth to which the lower end of the dome has been buried, it presents a surface over or about which anchors and other parts will slide, rather than hanging up. As previously mentioned, this novel side wall construction of the hood of the apparatus 10 provides a distinct advantage over previous structures whose side walls are formed entirely by a hemispherical surface, such as in Johnson Pat. No. 3,247,672, be cause in the latter, burying of the lower end of the dome to a shallow depth beneath the mud surface results in an exposed outer surface on the dome which is almost vertical and which thus has a tendency to cause the anchors or other parts to hang up.

Each half portion of the hood 15 also has a flange 19 about its rim, which, upon connection of the halves to one another, provides a flangeabout the entire lower end of the hood. This flange is advantageous not only from a structural standpoint, but also in that it provides a convenient means upon which a series of mounts 20 may be carried at circumferentially spaced-apart loca- I tions about the lower end of the hood, each for guidably receiving an elongate anchor 21. Thus, as best shown in FIG. 4, each such mount includes an upwardly and outwardly tapering wedge 22, which is also formed of reinforced fiberglass and adapted to receive and guide the anchor as it is driven into the mud at the underwater surface. More particularly, and as will be described to follow, the wedge guides the anchor for movement in adownward and outward direction generally parallel to the lower side wall portions of the hood,

thus providing anchoring forces having optimum mechanical advantage.

Each wedge 22 is securely supported upon the flange 19 at the lower end of the hood by means of gusset plates 23 on its opposite sides, which plates may also be made of reinforced fiberglass. A slot 24 is formed in the outer end of each wedge as well as in the flange 19 beneath the wedge and has an inner end which extends generally parallel to the lower side wall portions of the hood. This slot 24 is of a width to closely receive the anchor 21, and its inner end is preferably curved to fit closely about the anchor.

As shown in the drawings, the anchor is in the form of an auger having a helical blade about its lower end. Thus, in order to assemble the anchor on its mount 20, its necessary that its upper end be moved laterally into the slot 24. When the anchor is so moved, it is locked within the slot, and thus maintained against movement laterally outwardly from the wedge, by means of a plate 25 having a slot 26 in its inner end of substantially'the same width as the slot 24 and curved at its inner end for fitting closely about the anchor.

As shown, the upper surface of the Wedge 22 over which the plate 26 is disposed extends generally perpendicularly to the length of the anchor 21, and the upper end of the anchor is provided with a collar 27 near its upper end for seating firmly on the upper side of the plate 25 when the anchor has been driven into the mud surface.

In the installation of the apparatus 10, the anchors 21 are held by soft lines in raised positions withintheir mounts as the rim about the lower end of the dome is jetted into the mud surface. When the rim has reached the desired level, the soft lines are cut and the anchors driven into the mud in'any suitable manner. At this stage of the installation, the jetting will normally have removed much of the soil in and around the rim of the hood so that no difficulty isencountered'in-obtaining access to the upper end of the anchor :21 for screwing itinto the subsurface. Preferably, each ofthe anchors is driven to the maximum extent so as to cause a the collar 27lto engage the lock plate 25.

An opening 28 (see FIGS. 2 and 5) is formed in the upper end of the hood l5 by means of'aligned' semicircular cut out portions in each'half of the dome. The opening is preferably circular so as to receive a circular hatch 29 for fitting relatively closely therein. Uponremoval of the hatch, the opening permits access to the protected equipment through a relatively large crosssectional area. The hatch has a hole 30-formed centrally therein, and thus at the upper end of the hood l5,

so that, as previously mentioned, bubbles of gas which might leak from theprotected equipment will passupwardly through this hole and thus permit detection at the water surface.

The hatch 29 is supported by means of a plurality of arms 31 which are secured to the .inner side of the upper end of the hood in any suitable mannerso as to extend into the opening 28, as best shown in FIG. 5. As indicated in FIG. 2, there are four such arms, each providing a supporting surface 32forming a continuation of the inner side of the hood adjacent the hatch opening 28.

When the hatch is supported on the surfaces32, it is secured in place by small plates 33 pivotally connected to the hood adjacent the opening 28 by' means of pins 34 for. swinging between securing. and releasing positions. Also, each arm has a hole 35extendirig laterally through it close to the opening 28 to receive hooks or other hoisting equipment for use in raising'or lowering thehoo. f

With reference now to the details'of FIGS 6'to 11, the second embodiment of the apparatus, which is indi-' cated in its entirety by reference character 40': is shown inF 6 to be installed over a pipeline 41 and related equipment (shown in broken lines) buried at a"rela-' tively shallowdepth beneath the mud surface 42 below the water. As shown by the broken linesin FIG. 6, the underwater" equipment includes a valve 43 connected in a branch line 44 extending longitudinally of thepipeline 41 for a relatively short distance and then laterally with respect thereto. At least the valve '43 extends above the mud surface 42, so that, in the absence of the apparatus 40, it might be damaged by'anchors; nets, or other parts of the type previously mentioned. However, as mentioned in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2,- the equipment to be protected by the apparatus 40 may be of another type, and that shown and described above is merely exemplary.

The apparatus 40 includes-a hood: 45 which is preferrounding relation to the equipment to. be protected,

and then jettedto a desired level beneath thesurface. Asdescribed in connection with the first embodiment,

6 the'rim'is interrupted by means of slots formed in the lower edges of the side walls for fitting overthe pipeline 41 and branch line 44. When so disposed, the hood is anchored-in place, in a manner to be described hereinafter. For a purpose described in connection with the first embodiment, an opening 47 is formed in the upper end of the hood 45 and normally closed by a hatch 48 removably supported over the opening and having a hole 49 formed in its center.

The hood 45 is molded in several sections 50 which are separated from one another along vertical planes and bolted to one another by means of flanges 51 extending inwardly along their side edges. Each such hood section also has a flange 52 extending inwardly from the lower edge of its side -wall and adapted to be connected to a lower flange of an adjacent section by means of overlapping plates 52a which are bolted to such lowerflanges in a manner which will be obvious from FIG. 7. 'When the sections are connected together, their side edges abut so that the exterior surface of the hood is'smooth, and their lower flanges form continuations of one another to provide the rim 46.

The upper edges of the side walls of the sections are arcuate and define the hatch opening 47, and a flange 53 extends downwardly from each such upper edge. Thus, when the sections are connected together, the upper flanges 53 form a collar about the opening 47. The flanges 51, 52 and 53 connect with one another to provide a box-like reinforcement for each hood section In a manner and for the purpose described in connection with the first embodiment, the side walls of each hood section, and thus the hood as-a whole, have lower conical portions 50a and upper spherical portions 50b. As also illustrated, the conical portions of the side walls extend upwardly at an angle of about with respect to the horizontal to a level approximately intermediate the upper and lower edge of the hood, and the lower edges of the spherical portions 50b form smooth con tinuationsof the upper edges of the conical portions.

Poitholes 54 are formed in the sidewalls of the hood so as to lessen the likelihood of collapse or damage of the hood due to wave action. Preferably, one porthole is formed in each hood section 50 generally intermedisection. When so seated,.the hatch is secured to the hood sections by means of bolts,as indicated in FIG. 7.

As in the case of the rim of the first embodiment, the rim 46 of the apparatus 40 not only strengthens the hood as a whole, but also provides a means through which elongate, auger-type anchors 56 may guidably extend as they are driven into the subsurface in a direction generally parallel to the lower side wall portions of the hood. However, as distinguished from the first embodiment, the rim 46 extends inwardly from the lower edges of the side walls of the hood in position to receive and guide the anchors 46 which are passed through holes 57 in the side walls of the hood above the rim 46. Each hole 57 is formed in a recess 58 in the side wall of a hood section, and there are a pair of recesses and holes 57 in each hood section, so that each such section is secured to the surface by means of a pair of elongate anchors 56. As will be appreciated, this construction facilitatesrconstruction of the hood in that it permits the rim to be molded integrally with the side walls.

As best shown in FIGS.- 8 and 9, each recess 58 is formed by a curved wall whose inner side extends downwardly and outwardly at a small angle with respect to the side wall of the hood section, and a bottom wall which extends generally perpendicularly to the side walls of the hood section. The hole 57 is formed in the bottom wall thereof so that its axis is generally parallel to the lower side wall portion of each hood section. As also shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the lower flange 52 of each hood section is provided with a pair of slots 59, each of which is generally axially aligned with one of the holes 57. Thus, an elongate anchor 56 may be passed through the hole and slot so as to extend in a direction generally parallel to the lower portion of the side wall of the hood section, as shown in FIG. 9.

When so extended, each anchor is retained in a slot 59 by means of a pair of U-shaped plates 60 which are adapted to be disposed over the top and bottom of each slot 59. Thus, the slots in the plates may be moved over the anchors to form with the slot 59 an opening 61 about the anchor 56, and the plates 60 may then be secured to the flange 52 by means of bolts 62.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the hole 57 in the recess 58 is sufficiently large to pass the enlarged upper end 63 of the anchor 56. Thus, in the mounting of the anchors on the hood, the upper end 63 of the anchors may be passed upwardly through the holes 67, as illustrated in FIG. 8, and then swung in a counterclockwise direction into the slot 59, after which the plates 60 are moved into place and secured to the flange 52, as above described.

At the same time, a washer 64 may be moved into po sition over the bottom wall of the recess 58 for supporting the upper end 63 of the anchor 56 when the anchor is moved downwardly to the position shown in FIG. 9. For this purpose, the washer is larger than the hole 57, but has a central opening therein smaller than the enlarged upper end 63 of the anchor. The washer also has a side opening or slot 65 of such size as to permit it to be moved sidewise over the anchor 56.

As in the case of the first embodiment of the invention, the hood may be lowered into position with the thusly mounted anchors held in a raised position by any suitable means. Then, upon jetting of the lower end of the hood to the desired level, the anchors may be released and then driven into the subsurface, preferably to a depth at which their upper enlarged ends 63 rest on the washers 64. As shown in FIG. 9, when the anchors are driven into place, their upper ends 63 are disposed within the recess 58. Thus, no portions of the anchors protrude from the outer side walls of the hood, thereby further eliminating the possibility of damage due to anchors, nets, or the like.

As best shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, intermediate flanges 66 and 67 extend laterally along the inner side walls of the hood sections, so as to connect at opposite ends with the side flanges 51. The upper intermediate flange 67 extends inwardly from the side wall adjacent the upper ends of the recesses 58, and the lower intermediate flanges 67 extend inwardly from the side walls adjacent the bottom walls of the recesses 58. Also, U- shaped plates 66a and 67a are adapted to be passed over the flanges 51 and bolted to the flanges 66 and 67 to provide additional connections between the hood sections. Additionally, flanges extend vertically along opposite sides of each curved wall of a recess 58 to connect the intermediate and lower flanges with one another.

The hood sections are further reinforced by means of ribs 68 which extend laterally of the inner sides of the side walls. As best shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the ribs 68 are hollow and provided with ports 69 to prevent the accumulation of air within them.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the apparatus.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for protecting underwater equipment,

comprising a hood adapted to be lowered over the equipment, said hood having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart upwardly and outwardly tapering wedges about its lower end, each wedge having a slot extending inwardly from its outer end to receive an anchor, and a plurality of plates each having a slot on its inner end and slidable over the upper side of a wedge to cooperate with the slot in the wedge for holding the anchor therebetween.

2. Apparatus of the character defined in claim I, wherein the slot in the wedge extends substantially perpendicular to the upper side of the wedge.

3. Apparatus of the character defined in claim 2, wherein the lower portion of the side wall of the hood extends upwardly and outwardly generally parallel to the slot in the wedge.

4. Apparatus for protecting underwater equipment, comprising a hood adapted to be lowered over the equipment and having an outwardly extending rim about its lower end, said rim having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, inwardly extending slots about its outer edge, means on the side walls of the hood forming an inwardly extending slot above and aligned with each slot in the rim to form a guideway therewith for an elongate anchor, and means for retaining an anchor in each guideway comprising a plurality of plates each mountable on a slot forming means and having a slot therein to face the slot so formed to define a hole therewith to receive an anchor.

5. Apparatus for protecting underwater equipment, comprising a hood adapted to be lowered over the equipment and having an outwardly extending rim about its lower end, said rim having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, inwardly extending slots about its outer edge, means on the side walls of the hood forming an inwardly extending slot above and aligned with each slot in the rim to form a guideway therewith for an elongate anchor, and means for retaining an anchor in each guideway, said hood also having reinforcing walls extending vertically upwardly from the rim on opposite sides of each slot forming means.

6. Apparatus for protecting underwater equipment, comprising a hood adapted to be lowered over the equipment and having an outwardly extending rim about its lower end, the portion of the side walls of the hood above the rim extending upwardly and inwardly therefrom, said rim having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, inwardly extending slots about its outer edge, means on the side walls of the hood forming an inwardly extending slot above and aligned with each slot in the rim to form a guideway therewith for an elongate anchor which extends generally parallel to the adjacent side wall portion of the hood, said slot forming means having a surface which extends generally perpendicular to the adjacent side wall portion of the hood, and means for retaining an anchor in each guideway comprising a plurality of plates each disposable over said surface and having a slot therein to face a slot in said means on the hood, when so disposed, to define a hole to receive an anchor.

7. Apparatus for protecting underwater equipment, comprising a hood adapted to be lowered over the equipment, said hood having downwardly and outwardly extending side walls, said side walls having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart recesses formed therein, each recess having a bottom wall through which a hole extends, and a plurality of elongate anchors each adapted to extend through one of said holes in a direction generally parallel to the adjacent side wall of the hood.

'8. Apparatus of the character defined in claim 7, wherein each anchor has an upper end which is received in the recess when driven into the ground.

Ill)

9. Apparatus of the character defined in claim 8, wherein the upper ends of the anchors are enlarged but small enough to pass through the holes, and a washer is seatable over each hole in the bottom wall of a recess to support the enlarged upper end of an anchor, said washer having a side opening from the slot for passing sidewise over the anchor beneath its upper end.

10. Apparatus for protecting underwater equipment, comprising a hood adapted to be lowered over the equipment, said hood having downwardly and outwardly extending side walls and a rim extending inwardly from the lower ends of the side walls, said side walls having recesses formed therein and a hole located in each recess, and a plurality of elongate anchors each adapted to extend through one of the holes and the rim therebelow in a direction generally parallel to the adjacent side wall of the hood.

11. Apparatus of the character defined in claim 10, wherein each anchor has an upper end which is received in the recess when driven into the ground.

12. Apparatus for protecting underwater equipment, comprising a hood adapted to be lowered over the equipment, said hood having downwardly and outwardly extending side walls and a rim extending inwardly from the lower ends of the side walls, means providing holes in the side walls, said rim having a plurality of slots therein, a plurality of elongate anchors each adapted-to extend through one of the holes and slots in a direction generally parallel to the adjacent side wall of the hood, and a plurality of plates each disposable over the rim and having a slot therein to face a slot in the rim to define a hole through which an anchor extends. 

1. Apparatus for protecting underwater equipment, comprising a hood adapted to be lowered over the equipment, said hood having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart upwardly and outwardly tapering wedges about its lower end, each wedge having a slot extending inwardly from its outer end to receive an anchor, and a plurality of plates each having a slot on its inner end and slidable over the upper side of a wedge to cooperate with the slot in the wedge for holding the anchor therebetween.
 2. Apparatus of the character defined in claim 1, wherein the slot in the wedge extends substantially perpendicular to the upper side of the wedge.
 3. Apparatus of the character defined in claim 2, wherein the lower portion of the side wall of the hood extends upwardly and outwardly generally parallel to the slot in the wedge.
 4. Apparatus for protecting underwater equipment, comprising a hood adapted to be lowered over the equipment and having an outwardly extending rim about its lower end, said rim having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, inwardly extending slots about its outer edge, means on the side walls of the hood forming an inwardly extending slot above and aligned with each slot in the rim to form a guideway therewith for an elongate anchor, and means for retaining an anchor in each guideway comprising a plurality of plates each mountable on a slot forming means and having a slot therein to face the slot so formed to define a hole therewith to receive an anchor.
 5. Apparatus for protecting underwater equipment, comprising a hood adapted to be lowered over the equipment and having an outwardly extending rim about its lower end, said rim having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, inwardly extending slots about Its outer edge, means on the side walls of the hood forming an inwardly extending slot above and aligned with each slot in the rim to form a guideway therewith for an elongate anchor, and means for retaining an anchor in each guideway, said hood also having reinforcing walls extending vertically upwardly from the rim on opposite sides of each slot forming means.
 6. Apparatus for protecting underwater equipment, comprising a hood adapted to be lowered over the equipment and having an outwardly extending rim about its lower end, the portion of the side walls of the hood above the rim extending upwardly and inwardly therefrom, said rim having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, inwardly extending slots about its outer edge, means on the side walls of the hood forming an inwardly extending slot above and aligned with each slot in the rim to form a guideway therewith for an elongate anchor which extends generally parallel to the adjacent side wall portion of the hood, said slot forming means having a surface which extends generally perpendicular to the adjacent side wall portion of the hood, and means for retaining an anchor in each guideway comprising a plurality of plates each disposable over said surface and having a slot therein to face a slot in said means on the hood, when so disposed, to define a hole to receive an anchor.
 7. Apparatus for protecting underwater equipment, comprising a hood adapted to be lowered over the equipment, said hood having downwardly and outwardly extending side walls, said side walls having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart recesses formed therein, each recess having a bottom wall through which a hole extends, and a plurality of elongate anchors each adapted to extend through one of said holes in a direction generally parallel to the adjacent side wall of the hood.
 8. Apparatus of the character defined in claim 7, wherein each anchor has an upper end which is received in the recess when driven into the ground.
 9. Apparatus of the character defined in claim 8, wherein the upper ends of the anchors are enlarged but small enough to pass through the holes, and a washer is seatable over each hole in the bottom wall of a recess to support the enlarged upper end of an anchor, said washer having a side opening from the slot for passing sidewise over the anchor beneath its upper end.
 10. Apparatus for protecting underwater equipment, comprising a hood adapted to be lowered over the equipment, said hood having downwardly and outwardly extending side walls and a rim extending inwardly from the lower ends of the side walls, said side walls having recesses formed therein and a hole located in each recess, and a plurality of elongate anchors each adapted to extend through one of the holes and the rim therebelow in a direction generally parallel to the adjacent side wall of the hood.
 11. Apparatus of the character defined in claim 10, wherein each anchor has an upper end which is received in the recess when driven into the ground.
 12. Apparatus for protecting underwater equipment, comprising a hood adapted to be lowered over the equipment, said hood having downwardly and outwardly extending side walls and a rim extending inwardly from the lower ends of the side walls, means providing holes in the side walls, said rim having a plurality of slots therein, a plurality of elongate anchors each adapted to extend through one of the holes and slots in a direction generally parallel to the adjacent side wall of the hood, and a plurality of plates each disposable over the rim and having a slot therein to face a slot in the rim to define a hole through which an anchor extends. 